Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Scientists from the medical
sciences division
at Penn State University have discovered that a compound in fish oil appears to
target leukemia stem cells and could lead to a cure for the disease. The
compound is a natural extract from EPA, the Omega-3 fat component found most
commonly in fish and fish oil supplements. Known as delta-12-protaglandin J3,
or D12-PGJ3, the molecule is shown to target and kill the stem cells of chronic
myelogenous leukemia, a common form of the disease.

Extensive research from past
studies has shown that Omega-3 fats are critical to cardiovascular
and brain health. This new evidence supports the regular intake of EPA omega-3
fats to selectively kill leukemia-causing stem cells that could prevent and
possibly even provide a cure for this devastating disease.

The research, currently being
conducted on mice that exhibit metabolic characteristics similar to humans,
shows that some metabolites of Omega-3 have the ability to selectively kill the
leukemia-causing stem cells. Scientists determined that D12-PGJ3 kills
cancer-causing stem cells in the mice's spleen and bone marrow. Specifically,
it activates a gene known as p53 in the leukemia stem cell that programs the
cells own death in a process called apoptosis.

The p53 gene is a well known“tumor suppressor gene that regulates the
response to DNA damage and maintains genomic stability”, noted lead study
author Dr. Sandeep Prabhu. The D12-PDJ3 compound kills the leukemic stem cells
(leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells), an important step to prevent
the development and division of white blood cells that can be used to propagate
new cancerous tissue.

Current drug therapies are
ineffective as they only attempt to keep the number of leukemia cells low, and
carry many dangerous and sometimes fatal side effects. Drug therapy for
leukemia patients fails to completely cure the disease because they do not
target the source of new leukemia stem cells. Current treatments are unable to
kill the leukemia stem cells and fall short of providing an effective cure for
the disease.

The Omega-3 EPA fat compound,
D12-PDJ3 targets regeneration of white blood stem cells, an essential step
necessary to cure leukemia. The authors noted there were no side effects from
administering the natural fat compound. Researchers from
Penn State indicated that the compound would shortly move to human trials, with
similar results anticipated. Long chain omega fats have been documented to
promote human health and prevent chronic illnesses ranging from heart disease
and dementia to metabolic syndrome and stroke. EPA fat compounds (500 mg per
day) may help prevent and treat leukemia and other cancer lines dependent on
stem cells to replicate and metastasize.

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